With Lee in Virginia
by The One and Only Cassy M
Summary: A love story on the Battlefront of the Civil War. Loosely based on the title novel by G.A.Henty.
1. Chapter 1

**So finally decided to start writing again I have a feeling this is going to be a long FF so bear with me through this one. Just wanted to make note that this is historical fiction meaning that yes, Ulysess S. Grant and his family were real people but instead of having a daughter name Nellie her name is Caroline and they are all much older than they should be. Btw during the Civil War period which this FF is set in, people do own slaves and there is slavery in the story not saying it was good, but some people who owned slaves did treat them well. (Read Uncle Tom's Cabin for a wider perspective!) Hopefully it's not too much drama for you! ;) Enjoy!**

It was the summer of 1860  
"I won't have it, Pearson: so it's not use talking. If I had my way you shouldn't touch any of the slaves. And when I get my way—that won't be so very long—I will take good care you won't. But you won't hit Dan."

"He is not one of the regular house hands." Was the reply,"and I shall appeal to Mrs. Wingfield as to whether I am to be interfered with in the discharge of my duties."

"You may appeal to may Mother all you like, but I don't think you will get much by it. You are too fond of that whip, Pearson. It was never heard of on the Orangery during my Father's time, and it won't be when it comes to be mine, I can tell you. Come along Dan."

"Vincent Wingfield turned on his heel, followed by Dan a slave of some eighteen years old and walked back towards the verandah where he was sitting with his long-time friend Caroline and her brother Frederick Grant; leaving Jonas Pearson, the overseer of the Orangery Estate, looking after him with an evil expression on his face.

"Vincent Wingfield was the son of and English Officer, who, making a tour in the States fell in love with and won the hand of Winfred Cornish, a Virginia heiress. The Orangery was named so by the large conservatory

Caroline and Frederick Grant were the children of the Mexican-American war hero Ulysses S. Grant. Although natives of St. Louis, Caroline and Fred were on trip to welcome back there long time friend Vincent recently returned and graduate from West Point. When at a boarding school in England (at her rich Great Aunt Ellen's wishes) Caroline had met and immediately became friends with Vincent. After their graduation from the Boarding School, Vincent and Caroline kept in touch with each other through letters and visiting each other every summer. Now they were both eighteen and very fond of the trips to see each other every summer…

They had been interrupted by the noise of Jonas and Dan, but were now somewhat settled back into their wicker chairs.

"Does this happen much on the Orangery, Vincent?" Fred had asked with a patronizing hint in his voice.

"On the contrary, Frederick, it does not! All slaves on our plantation are treated as family and loved. It's just our new overseer who will treat the slaves this way." Vincent replied with a bitter look.

"Anyways! What do you miss most about West Point Vincent?" Caroline asked quickly, to divert the attention from the erupting argument between the two.  
"Oh, the friends I have made. Also the professors who have taught me all of their knowledge from the wars and the wisdom that they gleaned from it.

"Oh Vincent you have been gone long. You have really begun to sound like a West Point graduate!" Carol said with a coy look.

"I remember that my Father graduated near the top of his class. What level did you graduate from Vincent?" Frederick asked scornfully.

"At top of my class." Was the sharp retort.

A moment of silence went by with the young men sending glares in the opposites direction.

"Vincent, come and show me the rose garden your Mother has been telling me about!" Caroline requested. "I'm sure Fred won't mind sitting here to finish his book. Now will you, darling?" Giving Fred a hard look with her green eyes.

"Of course not Carrie." Fred answered sarcastically.

"Vincent offered his arm and the two walked off towards the garden.

Pushing back a lock of strawberry blonde hair, Caroline said, "My Father was the goat of his class. He barely passed. Please excuse my brother's rude manners. I don't know what has gotten in to him"

"Its alright Carol, I've faced worse!" They both laughed.

"Wait, who and when?" Was the curious question.

"Well let's just say that I learned how to use my fists at boarding school." Vincent said with a smirk but then his face turned serious. "You know I don't really miss too much from West Point, but I did miss you."

"Vincent." Carol said in a pleading tone.

"I don't like just seeing you once a year anymore or writing letters that take a month to arrive." Vincent said while placing his hand on Caroline's soft hair.

Moving his hand and walking quickly forward Caroline answered with, "Well they wouldn't take that long to arrive if you would just send it once you finish writing it."

"Well if you would reply back the moment you received them as I did, they wouldn't take so long. But thats not what I meant Carol. I've know you for a long time now and now that I will be taking up the reins of the Orangery I feel now I can ask you a certain question." His southern accent dripped over his anxious words.

"Vincent, not now." Was the response he received.

"Fine, but we will return to this conversation later." The only response he received now was silence.


	2. Chapter 2

A few days later, Vincent leaned lazily against a pillar in the front of the Orangery. He was waiting for Pearson to bring him his new horse to ride. His old horse had become too old for adventurous rides a young man would be taking. At that moment, he and Carol were going on a ride to see who was faster. A sigh rose up in Vincent's throat, Carol would be leaving in a month and he knew that the time would pass by quickly. He must talk to her again soon of his feelings. He just hoped she would reciprocate those feelings…

"Is Mr. Pearson back yet?" A mellifluous voice that came from behind, surprised him.

"Not yet but he should be coming soon! Well, look at you!" Vincent said as he took Carol's hands and spun her around. Carol's navy blue riding habit swirled around. The black riding hat contrasted perfectly with her light red hair.

"Oh please Vincent, I'm so glad you're taking your defeat so easily."

"Oh but my lady, you mean yours! I know we haven't started yet but well the odds are in my favor!" The southern charm fully clear in his voice.

Carol merely rolled her eyes and blushed, while Vincent gazed forward and started chatting with an overseer who had walked by. While he talked, Carol had a few moments to study Vincent and ponder her thoughts. She really had missed him over the past year. His handsome, chiseled face and how he always had a smile on. How he always though of others first and made them feel important. And his alluring southern accent that always hit a soft spot in her heart. A voice broke through her thoughts.

"I have your horses ready Miss. Caroline ." Dan called, bringing with him Carol's beautiful dapple gray horse.

"Thank you Dan! Vincent would you be a dear and help a lady on her horse?" Carol asked with a sly grin.

"Coming milady!" He said as he helped her up and smiled. "And finally there's Pearson!" Vincent said with a sigh that made Carol laugh.

"Here you are Mr. Vincent, your wild horse." Pearsons voice hinted at sarcasm.

"The only reason why it was wild and untamed before was because of its previous masters who tread him badly. A gentle but firm hand will be the winner of its loyalty and command." Vincent retorted as he mounted his horse. Wildfire was also a spectacular horse built for speed. Black as coal and quick as lightening, was the horse.

"Alright now that we are both mounted where will we race to and what is the prize for the winner." Carol asked as they both had their horses trot to the edge of the plantation.

"How about to the Poplar Plantation?"

"The Sanderson's house?" Carol asked.

"Yes but just to the dock area. And for the prize what about a wish?"

"A wish?" Caroline repeated dubiously with a laugh.

"Yes anything that the winner, which will be me, asks of the loser to grant. Some exceptions must apply though."

"Hmm sound somewhat fair." Carol agreed as they neared the gates of the Orangery. "Alright here is where we'll start. Good lord it's hot!"

"Shall I ask Mr. Anderson over there to do the honors?"

"Why yes! Good idea!"

"Excuse me, Mr. Anderson!" Vincent shouted as the overseer ran towards them. "Would you be so kind as to count to three to start us off to our race here?"

"Of course Mr. Vincent! Alright! One, two, three!" And with that Carol and Vincent were off! Their horses both galloping away towards Poplar Plantation. It was a good four miles to the dock. Most horses run a mile in under a minute and thirty seconds but these horses were going faster. As they neared the dock, Vincent came in the lead and won. A loud whoop went up in the air as Carol passed by the celebrating winner.

"You know you really wouldn't have won if I hadn't had such problems with this ridiculous hat! It kept nearly falling off and I had to keep putting it back on as it was a gift from your Mother." She said angrily as she tore off the accused hat and let her long red hair down.

"Oh please, you're just upset that you lost to me after you have been telling me you'd win! I told you I would!" Vincent said with a grin as he jumped off his horse to help the upset defeated friend.

"Don't help me! I do not want your help right now!" Carol huffed and swatted away Vincent's hand.

"Oh come on! Don't make me get you down from there" He said as pulled on her gloved hand.

"You wouldn't dare!" Carol said with a glare.

"Wouldn't I?" He said with a coy grin. He reached up and grabbed her by her waist and pulled down hard, sending Carol down and knocking Vincent over with her.

"Ugh! See look what you did!" Carol said annoyed as she tried to move away but got her legs tangled instead.

"Hey I don't mind." He said with a wink as Carol wriggled off of him and brushed herself off.

"Can we go now please? There's nothing left to do here because Johnathan's not here until tomorrow." Because Carol visited every summer and was friendly and out going, she was friends with all of Vincents friends. Johnathan in particular was Vincents best friend and they all spent much time together, also with Johnathans lady friend, Betty.

They both again mounted their horses and rode back again towards the Orangery, this time at a lesser speed. They chatted away in the warm summer afternoon.

"Isn't it such a beautiful day? There's not too many days like these in Galena." She whimsically said as she gazed at the lush green scenery around her.

"Yes it is." Vincent said as he looked at Carol.

"Vincent you are not even looking at what I'm talking about!" She accused.

"I know." He said still keeping a straight look at her while moving his horse closer to her. "Do you know what my one wish is?"

"I couldn't guess." She said, as she too, fixed her gaze on the face inches away from her own.

"Its not something I can say." He said as he moved his face closer to hers.

All of a sudden both heads turned as they heard a yell and scream of pain and the sound of the hard blow of a whip.

"That sounds as if its coming from that hedge over there! Come on!" Carol said. They both rode over to a large hedge that surrounded a plantation nearby.

"This is the Cedars plantation." Again another sound pain went in the air, this time with the sound of curses and the shrill scream of a woman voice. "Hold on to the reins of my horse Caroline, I want to stand on the saddle to see what's going on!" She readily grabbed the reins as Vincent balanced himself on the horse. The scene on the other side of the hedge was worse than he thought. A slave was being outrageously beaten by a young fellow the same age as Vincent. But what made the scene worse altogether, was that who seemed to be the slaves wife had a child in her arms and was just lashed angrily by the fellow and his whip. This was too much for Vincent to bear. Not thinking about other options (or the gate a few feet away) he threw himself over the hedge and lunged at the slaveowner and wrestled with him for the weapon.

"Stop! Onus Trent, give me that whip!" He shouted.

"Wingfield! You crossed the line this time, meddling in my affairs. What kind of neighbor are you?" Onus shouted, while they both wrestled for the whip.

"I should like to be no neighbor of yours! The way you treat your slaves you give all Virginians a bad name!" He retorted as he grasped the whip from his neighbors hand and flung it on the ground. Carol had just walked in through the gate and was noticed by both men, but they continued on.

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do with my own slaves, and you know it!"

"But you, you would turn whip on a woman and her baby? You should be ashamed!" He accused.

"You should be ashamed! Interfering with another mans right to treat his property as he wishes! There are laws against that!" He raged.

"You, you would whip a…"

"Oh don't you tell you don't whip your slaves down at the Orangery, Wingfield!" He accused with a sneer. "You're a hypocrite, Wingfield, you and your whole family!"

"What! Why you!" And with that a sudden, hard blow was thrown to Onus' nose.

"My nose! You broke my nose!" He howled. "You'll be sorry this Wingfield, don't you forget!" Was his last threat as he fled around the corner.

"I shouldn't have done." Vincent said as walked over to Carol's waiting arms.

"Whats done is done" She said as he embraced her. "You saved a man and his wife and his child from being brutally beaten. There are few good people like you in the world Vincent. Who stand up to wrong and not be afraid of it!" She said softly as she stroked his hair.

"Come on." He said as he broke the tender moment and pulled them both away from the scene. "I want to show you some where."


End file.
